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In a rare move, Apple has paused development of software updates for next year for iPhones, iPads, Macs and other devices so it can root out glitches in its code.
SCMPThe memo was sent internally to employees last week to improve quality control after numerous bugs emerged in early versions of the software. Instead of adding new features, Apple engineers were tasked with fixing vulnerabilities and improving the performance of existing software.
Apple's software, known for its clean interface, easy controls, and focus on privacy, is one of its biggest selling points. In recent years, the iPhone giant has focused more on making its software experience seamless, even if it means delaying new features.
In 2018, software engineering chief Craig Federighi halted the release of several iPhone features due to concerns about buggy software. In 2019, he overhauled Apple's software development process in an effort to prevent bugs from creeping in.
Accordingly, each new feature will be activated manually, through the “feature flag” process (allowing to change the way the application works without changing the code). Along with that is the “The Pact” process to quickly fix errors without having to go back to the original step.
But the company’s latest round of software development has not gone smoothly. The software engineering team, reviewing new operating systems slated for release in 2024, found too many “escape bugs,” a term for bugs that were missed during internal testing. As a result, all new feature development has been paused to focus on fixing those bugs.
SCMP sources said this was an inevitable problem, as Apple had to maintain the continuity of thousands of different programmers, working with many separate operating systems and devices.
The new iPhone and iPad operating systems, which will become iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, are internally called “Crystal.” The Mac software, macOS 15, is called “Glow.” Meanwhile, the next Apple Watch operating system, watchOS 11, is called “Moonstone.”
According to Vietnamnet